Tool, such as a pair of pliers or scissors

ABSTRACT

A tool, such as a pair of pliers or scissors, with handles, between the outer ends of which a spring band of plastic material is removably attached to keep the handles apart and thereby to keep the tool open. Each handle is provided with a hole and a guiding slot for attachment therein of the ends of the spring band, said ends having a shape corresponding to the shape of said holes and slots, whereby said guiding slots will force the spring band to be arc formed in the longitudinal direction between the handles.

United States Patent [191 3,921,478 Ygfors Nov. 25, 1975 [54] TOOL SUCH AS A PAIR OF PLIERS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS SCISSORS 74,968 4/1949 Norway 30/261 [75] Inventor: Giiran Ygfors, Vallingby, Sweden [73] Assignee: Ygfors Trading AB, Jarfalla, Primary Examiner-James JOIleS.

S d Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Silverman & Cass, Ltd.

[22] Filed: Dec. 30, 1974 [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 18, 1974 Sweden 74006800 [52] US. Cl 81/417; 30/261 [51] Int. Cl. B25B 7/02 [58] Field of Search 81/417; 30/261, 253

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 664,613 12/1900 Badger 30/261 Appl. No.: 537,115

[57] ABSTRACT A tool, such as a pair of pliers or scissors, with handles, between the outer ends of which a spring band of plastic material is removably attached to keep the handles apart and thereby to keep the tool open. Each handle is provided with a hole and a guiding slot for attachment therein of the ends of the spring band, said ends having a shape corresponding to the shape of said holes and slots, whereby said guiding slots will force the spring band to be are formed in the longitudinal direction between the handles.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 3,921,478

TOOL, SUCH AS A PAIR or PLIERS on SCISSORS BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a tool, such as a pair of pliers or scissors; and in particular it relates to a new and improved spring arrangement between the too handles.

It is known to use a helical spring located between the tool handles or a leaf spring located along the handles or a rubber tube, into the ends of which the handles are inserted. A helical spring is expensive and requires a complicated arrangement for the attachment of the spring ends to the tool. Therefore, a helical spring can not be exchangeable. A leaf spring arranged along the handles must be strong and have a small action area to open the tool. A rubber tube is easy to exchange, but the spring force of the rubber tube will be weak, as the dimensions of the tube must be adapted to the size of the tool to make the tool easy to handle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention a tool, such as a pair of pliers or scissors, is provided, wherein the disadvantages of the prior art are overcome. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention a tool, such as a pair of pliers or scissors, is provided, comprising a spring band of plastic material, said band being removably arranged between the tool handles. The outer ends of the handles are each provided with a hole and a guiding slot extending from said hole and slot on the outer end surface of the handle. The ends of said spring band have a shape corresponding to said hole and guiding slot and are removably inserted into said holes and guiding slots, whereby the guiding slots will force the band to be are formed in the longitudinal direction between the handles. Thus it is possible to provide a handy tool, which, when uninfluenced, will be open.

Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved tool, such as a pair of pliers or scissors.

It is another object of this invention to provide a tool, such as a pair of pliers or scissors, with a spring band of plastic material which is easily exchangeable, if it should be damaged or broken or if a band with a weaker or stronger spring force is desired.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description to follow together with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The drawing and the description disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood, that modifications may be apparent to those skilled in the art.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are different side elevational views of a tool, a pair of pliers, constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are different side elevational views of a spring band as a part of the pair of pliers according to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 5 shows a section at the line V-V of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the figures there is shown a pair of pliers with straight shanks, which are jointed by a pivot 1, said shanks forming plier jaws 2 and 4 respectively and handle portions 3 and 5 respectively on each side of said pivot l. The shanks 2-5 are preferably made of steel or some other suitable metal. On each handle portion 3,5 a handle 6 and 7 respectively is arranged, said handle 6 and 7 respectively being made of a preferably sufficiently strong and rigid plastic material, such as glass-fibre-reinforced plastic. Said handles 6,7 are near their outer ends provided with substantially cylindrical holes 8,9 which are parallel to the longitudinal direction of the pivot 1. From each hole 8,9 a guiding slot 10 and 11 respectively extends, said guiding slot being directed in the longitudinal direction of the handle and opening on the outer end surface 12 and 13 respectively of the handle.

A spring band 14 of a preferably elastic plastic material, such as for example a material which is sold under the trademark Rilsan Plastic and which is based on ricinium oil, is removably arranged between the handles 6,7. The band 14 is straight, when uninfluenced, as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and its ends have the shape of substantially cylindrical beads 15,16, said beads having substantially the same diameter as the holes 8,9. The parts 17,18 of the band adjacent to the beads have the same thickness as the widths of the guiding slots. Said parts 17,18 are on their sides provided with central grooves 19,20 in the longitudinal direction of the band. On the opposite sides of the guiding slots 10,11 of the handles there is a central ridge 21,22 extending in the longitudinal direction of the handles, as is seen in FIG. 5. As the grooves and ridges are centrally positioned on the band and in the handles respectively, the band can be inserted with either longitudinal edge turned upwards in FIGS. 1 and 2.

On the middle of the spring band 14 there is provided a reinforcing part with inclined ends 23. Thereby the force of the band 14 to bring and keep the handles apart till be stronger, when the band is inserted in such a way, that the reinforcing part 23 is situated on the inside of the band, as is shown in FIG. 1, than when the band is inserted with the reinforcing part situated on the outside of the band. Hereby one band can give a stronger or weaker spring force to keep the handles apart depending on how the band is inserted.

As is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the beads 15,16 of the spring band 14 are inserted in the holes 8 and 9 respectively of the handles at the same time as the parts 17,18 of the band are pressed into the guiding slots 10 and 11 respectively of the handles. The band is thereby forced by the guiding slots to be bent in arc form with a smaller radius of curvature near the handle and a substantially greater radius of curvature for the middle portion of the band. The spring band is attached to the pliers by the engagement of the ridges 21,22 in the grooves 19,20 of the band, whereby the band will be safely attached to the tool and also can be easily inserted into and removed from the handles when exchanged due to for example damage or a need for a stronger or weaker band.

Though the tool described hereinbefore is a pair of pliers, the invention is applicable to scissors or other, similar tools. Said ridges 21,22 and grooves 19,20 can be dispensed with and the band ends pressed into the holes and slots may be kept in position by friction force. Thus, although the invention has been described with reference to particular preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood, that other variations and modifications can be effected within the scope and spirit of the invention as described hereinbefore and as 3 defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. A tool, such as a pair of pliers or scissors, with shanks jointed by a pivot, said shanks forming jaws and handle portions, each of said handle portions carrying a handle, between the outer ends of which a spring band of a plastic material is removably arranged and working to keep the tool jaws open, said handles at their outer ends being provided with a substantially cylindrical hole parallel to said pivot, and a guiding slot extending from each of said holes and slots to the outer end surfaces of each respective handle to receive said spring band, the ends of said band having the shape of substantially cylindrical beads and having a part adjacent to the beads with a thickness corresponding to the widths of said guiding slots, said beads and adjacent parts of the spring band being inserted in the hole and guiding slots of each handle, said slots keeping the 4 spring band bent in arc form in the longitudinal direction thereof between the handles.

2. A tool according to claim 1, in which each of the slots of the handles on their opposite side walls are provided with a central ridge or groove in the longitudinal direction of the handle, and in which said adjacent parts of the spring band are provided with central grooves or ridges, respectively, on each side and in the longitudinal direction of the band for removable engagement of said ridges in said grooves.

3. A tool according to claim 1, in which the middle part of said spring band at one side thereof is provided with a reinforcing part of increased thickness, whereby the spring force of the spring band will have different strength when the band is bent, depending on whether said reinforcing part is located at the outside or the inside of the band. 

1. A tool, such as a pair of pliers or scissors, with shanks jointed by a pivot, said shanks forming jaws and handle portions, each of said handle portions carrying a handle, between the outer ends of which a spring band of a plastic material is removably arranged and working to Keep the tool jaws open, said handles at their outer ends being provided with a substantially cylindrical hole parallel to said pivot, and a guiding slot extending from each of said holes and slots to the outer end surfaces of each respective handle to receive said spring band, the ends of said band having the shape of substantially cylindrical beads and having a part adjacent to the beads with a thickness corresponding to the widths of said guiding slots, said beads and adjacent parts of the spring band being inserted in the hole and guiding slots of each handle, said slots keeping the spring band bent in arc form in the longitudinal direction thereof between the handles.
 2. A tool according to claim 1, in which each of the slots of the handles on their opposite side walls are provided with a central ridge or groove in the longitudinal direction of the handle, and in which said adjacent parts of the spring band are provided with central grooves or ridges, respectively, on each side and in the longitudinal direction of the band for removable engagement of said ridges in said grooves.
 3. A tool according to claim 1, in which the middle part of said spring band at one side thereof is provided with a reinforcing part of increased thickness, whereby the spring force of the spring band will have different strength when the band is bent, depending on whether said reinforcing part is located at the outside or the inside of the band. 